Sports tournament makes comeback hit

Holy Trinity Primary School took first and second places at the recent Ripon Primary VX Tournament to win back the trophy they achieved five years ago.

The competition used to be a popular feature of the sports festivals run by the Director of Sport for Ripon Schools, Helen Mackenzie, in the days of the School Sports Partnership.

With the demand high, Ripon VX Club sponsored the re-establishment of the tournament, providing sports bibs for the top four teams and medals for the winners.

For this new festival they invited the reigning champions North Stainley along with teams from schools where senior club coach Tom Hildreth runs after-school clubs.

It was the two Holy Trinity teams that topped the two groups.

After the ranking matches had completed it was the turn of the two Holy Trinity teams to fight to see which one had the honour or winning back the trophy. With several of the players being members of one of Tom’s biggest after-school clubs the first half saw an exciting battle with Trinity 1 being ahead at half time. The second half saw more of the same, but although Trinity two fought hard they couldn’t stop their opponents drawing further ahead to take the match and the trophy.

Individual Awards went to Ellie Potter (Robert Wilkinson) who won Player of the Tournament and Elena Cupaiolo (Robert Wilkinson) who won the Cornerstones Award. The Cornerstones award is for Ripon VX Club Fair Play and is named for the four cornerstones of the sport. As such it is a highly-prized and highly

sought-after award in VX.

Helen Mackenzie who set up the first Ripon VX festivals was there to present the prizes. She said: “I am delighted to see this event running again. It was always the most successful of the festivals. I am so pleased to see so many Ripon VX Club players here to support along with some parents.

“Thank you to Ripon Grammar for hosting the event and to Ripon VX Club for sponsoring it and thank you to all the children for playing so well and in such a great spirit of sportsmanship.

“Now that we have got it off the ground again we can open it up to more schools.”

Ripon VX players Jess Porter and Dom Lockwood from Ripon Grammar School along with VX England representatives Stirling Harpur and Kristal Harpur came along as match officials and other players and parents from Ripon VX Club came along to help with the event.